The Toronto Maple Leafs have called a news conference for Wed. July 18th 11:00 am at the Air Canada Center to announce that they have signed All Star center Mats Sundin to a multi year deal reportedly worth 9 million a year.

written by: titans

“The Hawks Re-Sign Two.”

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have re-signed forward Bob Probert and defenseman Jaroslav Spacek. The Terms of the deal were disclosed. Let’s hope that Smith hasn’t been trying to re-sign Probert this whole off-season instead of getting top free agents. Also, Smith said that they don’t need the holdout problems that Jason Allison would bring to the Hawks if they were to trade for him. (He means they don’t want to pay him 9 million).

written by: Anonymous

“Jagr Wants to Make Pens”

In a recent interview former Penguins right winger Jaromir Jagr said “I want to prove to them they made a big mistake”. What mistake did the Pens make? They gave Jagr exactly what he wanted, a trade to a different team. What could he possible want to prove them wrong for, what not treating him like a king and letting him get away with anything, wait we already did that. Honestly for a guy that was dying to get out of Pittsburgh, Jagr seems awfully bent on revenge.

written by: JDB3939

“Rangers Sign Zdeno Ciger. More Moves to Follow?”

Making a move that seems to defy all team-building logic, the Rangers this weekend signed veteran free agent Zdeno Ciger to a two-year contract for a guaranteed $3.5 million,(more money than Hlavac)
The winger, who will turn 32 during training camp, has spent the last five seasons playing in Slovakia. Originally selected 54th overall by the Devils in 1988, the 6-1, 190-pound, Ciger was dealt to Edmonton with Kevin Todd for Bernie Nicholls midway through 1993-94 after spending parts of three seasons in New Jersey.

Ciger played two full seasons with the Oilers, recording 31 goals with 39 assists in 1995-96 while playing primarily on a line with center Doug Weight and right wing Jason Arnott. He returned to Europe for family reasons following that season.

The addition of yet another finesse-oriented, perimeter type performer to a team so desperately in need of more size, toughness, attitude and north-south forwards who crash the net, seems to make little sense. Similarly, it seems odd to add a 32-year-old whose guaranteed money closes off an available spot for a young player who might grow with the team.

Ciger – who is neither returning to North America to play in Hartford, nor signing for that kind of money with demotion to the AHL as an option – is likely to open the season as left wing on a line with Petr Nedved and Jan Hlavac, a spot held at the end of last year by brawnier and meaner Michal Grosek.

With additional forward spots all but guaranteed – barring trade – to Mark Messier, Radek Dvorak, Manny Malhotra, Mike York, Sandy McCarthy, Theo Fleury (if permitted to rejoin the team) and Andreas Johansson (another veteran import from Europe), few positions will be open for competition to hungry kids. Even the future of the 26-year-old Grosek seems imperiled.

Ciger registered 17 goals and 32 assists last year for Slovan Bratislava. The Rangers are not expected to assign him No. 68 when he reports to the Garden for training camp in two months.

With this move and the fact that this deal has been done since July 13th why has it been kept so hush hush could a bigger move be coming I don’t know stay tuned.

written by:

“Let’s Make a Deal”

Hey Mike, let’s make a deal. You haven’t done squat this whole off-season. Now Boston wants to dump Jason Allison for salary reasons. Salary reasons. That always seems to me that you can get him for less than market value. Look at the Jagr trade. The Capitals gave up 3 prospects and even got another defensemen along with Jagr. The scouting report is that the 3 prospects could be good great. Could be. Or there could be 1 flop all the way to 3 flops. You don’t know. And they got the scoring champion for them + a defenseman. The Hawks should trade Mironov. He seems to be lazy and slow. The Hawks defensemen aren’t well know but they all work hard. Also, there is a thing called free agency where they could still find a defenseman to make up for Mironov if they traded him. Vladimir Tsyplakov, Kevin Hatcher, and Bryan Berard are still available. They can all be #2 or #3 defensemen and that’s all Mironov played like. He could be 1 person to trade to Boston. Then throw in Bell or Calder. And future considerations or a 5th or 6th round draft pick. He would fit well into the Hawks organization.

Then this off-season wouldn’t be so much of a loss. Look at your first 2 lines if that deal goes through. 1st Line: Amonte-Allison-Daze 2nd Line: Sullivan-Zhamnov-Nylander. Then the Hawks would have six 20 goal scorers (more if any defenseman could chip in) and would be a offensive force. Thibault and the defense would, I think, be able to carry their part of the load. Then the Hawks would be in the playoffs for the first time in a while. Then they would be swept by either the Avalanche, Stars, Red Wings, or Blues but let’s not look that far ahead. Let’s hope.